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The day of our departure for North Dakota is getting closer and closer and of course there are more and more "issues" to deal with and I'm getting so anxious to get to heck out of here that I'm ready to go NOW!!!

Currently we own 2 elderly BMW's and our plan has been to sell them and get a wonderful 2003 Chrysler mini-van (with 4 dogs a van would come in handy). Our thought was since it was front wheel drive snow tires would be good.

Now we are told that we should look for a 4 wheel drive pickup with a camper shell - that's what everyone in North Dakota drives in the winter. Other cars are for summer only. I'm wondering now - what do you drive?

I drive a 2003 Chevy Tracker, which is a small SUV vehicle with 4WD. Living in Minot, which is a pretty hilly city, I can't count how many times that 4WD has saved my butt in the winter. I've never used snow tires on any vehicle, but a mini-van or pickup should work fine for you and your family. You could even get by with the BMW's, as it's not exactly essential that you have a 4X4 vehicle in the winter. Easier to drive one, yes, but not essential.

If you need room but want 4wd etc., We have been happy so far with the 2006 Dodge Durango we have. just make sure and get the one with the MDI or whatever its called mode that shuts down the valves when not in use. We can get 23mph+ on the highway with the vehicle fully loaded down.

Now we are told that we should look for a 4 wheel drive pickup with a camper shell - that's what everyone in North Dakota drives in the winter

Bahahahahah

Just get what you want. Don't believe anything said about North Dakota unless you heard it from a North Dakotan. Any car will do.

If you plan on living out in the country and commuting to a nearby town a 4wd may be a smart way to go. If for any reason you find yourself going in to a ditch/being stranded in the winter you can rest assured that people will stop to make sure you are aright and see if you need help.

the only caveat that people who live here will tell you is that rear-wheel drive isn't the best choice. i haven't had problems with the rwd cars or trucks that i've driven, it depends on the ice situation and where you drive.

the key factor to winter driving is discretion. if the road looks bad, avoid it. your bigger concern is ensuring that your car can start when the temperature is below zero (fahrenheit) for several days straight.

My late uncle, who lived his entire life in North Dakota, drove 50,000+ miles per year for 30-some years in RWD sedans without snow tires. The times he couldn't get where he was going were pretty much limited to when the roads were closed anyway by blizzarding. I spent several years in Wyoming, and found the same thing true there most of the time. My front-wheel-drive car with traction control and all-season tires was more than adequate about 99% of the time. The other 1%, the roads were usually closed.

Yep. Realistically, unless your are travelling on roads that aren't plowed regularly, or are driving on icy hills, the benefits of a 4wd aren't seen that often. The bigger issue than the number of wheels under power (which is typically more of a big deal when accellerating) is stopping and seeing. Good tires, brakes, and good sense go a long way in the winter.

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